


Everything is better when I'm looking with you

by writelikethissss



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Boys Being Cute, Christmas in New York, ITS SO FLUFFY, M/M, Narry at Christmas, Narry in New York
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 11:41:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2810813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writelikethissss/pseuds/writelikethissss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They took their time walking to the rink, stopping to kiss and cuddle and tickle and play fight along the way, completely and utterly oblivious to everything else around them. This would be a day Niall would remember forever, he could already tell.</p><p>Written for this prompt:</p><p>Niall and Harry share a flat in New York and they decide to spend Christmas Eve in the city. So, like gift shopping, ice skating (which Niall is horrible at), a trip to Starbucks for coffee or a pumpkin spice latte, somehow getting stuck with a bunch a carolers, and anything else cute and funny you can think of. OH, and lot of hand holding and kisses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everything is better when I'm looking with you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [holyzarrialltrinity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/holyzarrialltrinity/gifts).



> Happy Christmas to holyzarrialltrinity from your Secret Ficathon Santa xx

Ever since Niall and Harry moved to New York three years ago, they have talked about spending Christmas Eve in the city, the magic and the buzz and the cold air sweeping round the streets, the hustle and bustle of people doing their last minute present shopping, skating in the park, walking hand in hand back down 5th Avenue all the way to Rockefeller to see the tree…again. The thing is though, Harry has worked every Christmas Eve since they got here, his work on Broadway coming first to everything he and Niall tried to plan. Niall doesn’t mind, this is the reason they moved to New York in the first place, so Harry could fulfil his dream of singing on Broadway. Niall was so proud of him he could burst, he’s lost count of the time he’s seen the show, he is pretty sure he’s sat in almost every seat in the theatre at some point, watching his boyfriend shine on stage like he was always meant to. It made Niall feel special, a little smug even - although he would never admit it – to sit in the stands and hear people gushing over his Harry during the interval, flicking through the pages of the show programme so they can find out more about him. 

This Christmas Eve though, Harry doesn’t have a show and they’re going into the city to do all the things they have wanted to do on a Christmas Eve since they got here. Harry’s still asleep, his legs tangled with Niall’s under the covers of their bed. Niall likes the way Harry feels against him, always has really, ever since they met when they were sixteen at Camp America in New Jersey.

Niall remembers the first time he saw Harry, weaving through the crowd of people gathered in the main hall at the university campus that the Camp called home for the summer months. Niall had been playing the guitar at the time, a couple of people sat around him. He had to concentrate on keeping the tune as he watched this boy smile at everyone, looking for someone, Niall thought. They had only been there a day and Niall hadn’t seen him before, he would have remembered. Niall kept watching as this boy found who he was looking for; two other boys who were huddled together on one of the couches in the corner of the room, playing cards. The taller of them reaching up to high five Harry as he sat down next to them.  

 

Harry had kissed Niall for the first time two weeks later, late at night after everyone else had gone to bed, sat on the bleachers in the campus, huddled under a blanket they had taken from Harry’s bunk. Niall had gone to bed that night smiling, he had woken up smiling and loved how the butterflies danced in his belly when Harry winked at him when he sat down next to him in the dining hall, looking at him like there was a secret that only the two of them would ever share. The butterflies are still there, after all this time, every time Harry looks at him like that.  

Harry stirs and snuggles closer into Niall, Niall runs his hand up and down Harry’s arm and Harry finds his normal spot; his head tucked into Niall’s throat.

After camp Niall had gone back home; Harry to Cheshire in England and Niall to Ireland, miserable and feeling like he wasn’t really _home_ unless he was with Harry. They returned to camp for a few more years, seeing each other in between during holidays.

Moving to England felt like the most natural thing to do. He missed his family at first, of course he did, but he was moving there to be with Harry, the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He got a job in a post room at a radio station in London two weeks after Harry had heard he had a part in a show on the West End. Their first flat together had been damp and cold, with creaking floorboards and a barely working shower and worn carpets but it had been theirs.

Their apartment in New York isn’t much bigger even if it costs them almost eight times the amount they used to pay in London, but it’s a couple of blocks south of Washington Square Park, and Niall loves it. He loves the big sash windows and the tall ceilings. He loves the Christmas tree in the lounge that he and Harry picked out a week earlier, and how it was just a little bit too tall, but Harry had made it fit anyway, bending it to put the star on top while Niall took a photograph of him.

“See, it fits!!”

Niall had laughed loudly at him, laughed at the smile on his face as he climbed awkwardly off the stool onto the ground. Niall had grabbed his hand and pulled him towards him, his hands firm around Harry’s neck as he pulled him into a kiss.

 “Hey we need to get up.” Niall says, running his hand over Harry’s arm.

“Five more minutes.” Harry mumbles into his neck. “’M so comfy.”

Harry has worked late the night before, and Niall knows he’s exhausted from the relentless schedule his show keeps to, but he also knows Harry has lots of plans for them today and he doesn’t want to skip anything off the list.

Niall attempts to cook Harry breakfast, making more mess than anything else and Niall is reminded again why Harry is the one who cooks. They can grab something when they’re out, Niall thinks as he gets dressed. Harry comes out of the shower looking a lot more awake and completely and utterly gorgeous. Niall can’t take his eyes off him.

“Enough of that, Horan. We got some New York to see!!”

They get breakfast at Starbucks because it’s the first place they come to and Niall’s hungry and it’s _cold._ Niall’s stood in the queue while Harry finds a seat and Niall can’t remember what Harry said he wanted, being too distracted with what breakfast sandwich to have rather than listening to Harry’s drinks order. He is sure it was something festive so he order a pumpkins spice latte and a gingerbread latte, thinking Harry can take his pick when Niall sits down. He opts for the gingerbread one for Harry and smiles when Harry takes a few sips right away, nodding, which Niall takes as a good sign.

“So, so far on our day out, we have managed to get half a block before stopping for coffee.”

“And food.” Niall says as their sandwiches are placed in front of them.

“Yes and food, wouldn’t want you to starve would we.” Harry rolls his eyes and looks at his watch. “I hope you’re up for some walking today, we’re going to see as much of New York on Christmas Eve as possible.”

Niall nods and they eat their sandwiches in silence, their feet hooked at their ankles under the table.

The wind is harsh when they leave, they hold hands as they walk out and onto the busy street and all the hope Niall had of their drinks warming them from the inside being enough to keep them warm fades. He cuddles close into Harry as they walk, well march really, through the streets. There are people everywhere, walking in different directions and bustling around and Niall kind of loves it, he and Harry talk about people as they pass them, trying to figure out who they’re buying last minute gifts for and if they’re tourists or locals. Niall and Harry still both think of themselves as tourists, kind of like they’re on an extended holiday. Even if they don’t get to see the city much together.

Eventually, after they had walked up Broadway and weaved their way through Times Square, they hit Central Park and Niall thinks he has a good idea where Harry is heading. As they’re walking down the Mall Harry pulls Niall into him, putting his arm snug around Niall’s shoulders. Niall tucks his hand round Harry’s waist and they walk slowly, stopping to take a few selfies and then again to take a picture of a couple who were clearly struggling to grasp the selfie concept.

They took their time walking to the rink, stopping to kiss and cuddle and tickle and play fight along the way, completely and utterly oblivious to everything else around them. This would be a day Niall would remember forever, he could already tell.

The thing is, Niall doesn’t like ice skating and never has but Harry has _that_ face on and Niall pretty much gives him anything he wants when he’s like that and there is really no point trying to fight it because Niall knows he’ll give into Harry anyway so agreeing to it right away is just saving time.

Niall sits on the bench while Harry gets his skates, he’s likes to look after Niall and as much as Niall pouts, he loves it. He looks after Harry too, when he’s sick or tired or hungover or just wants some attention. But the stuff like this, the gentleman stuff, Harry sometimes insists and Niall likes it. Harry walks back to him and presents him with his skates, bending down like a Prince Charming with a glass slipper, and slides the first boot onto Niall’s foot.

“I can do it meself Harry.” Niall tries not to smile when he says it, but he fails. Harry does the boot up for him and then does the other one. Skating doesn’t seem so bad now, Niall thinks. Not when he gets to cling to Harry for 20 minutes and when Harry’s being like this. Niall knows Harry feels about him, he tells him all the time, just like Niall does to Harry. But when Harry’s like this, fond and affectionate, that Niall really _knows._

Niall places one blade onto the ice, gripping for dear life onto the barrier and sliding himself along until both blades are planted firmly on the very slippy ground beneath him. He pulls himself along the barrier much to Harry’s amusement. Harry holds his hand out for Niall to take and Niall grabs for it, still keeping the other on the barrier. He feels unsteady and unsafe and he is fearing not only for himself but for the people around him.

They make it round half the rink before Niall takes his hand from the barrier; there was a small child who was standing in the same way as Niall, refusing to move her hands away while her Dad tried to coax her. Niall looked at Harry and he shrugged and Niall isn’t one to leave a challenge alone, so he lets go and lets Harry pull him round for a little while.

“I can go meself now Haz.” Niall says after the second circuit, and he manages to make it about three feet before the toe pics get stuck in the ice and he’s tumbling to the ground, falling on his bum with a bump. He’s mostly wet down the one side from the thin layer of water on the ice surface and he has to roll over to try and get up. Also, there was the added issue of the people who were seeing him at the last minute and having to swerve round him, just missing him.

Niall hears a loud laugh and then sees Harry’s head among the other skaters. Two girls had also stopped, offering to help him up. Niall can’t see how that’s going to happen if he’s honest. Can’t see how he’s ever going to be able to get up and not slip again.

“We’ll all help.” One of the girl says when Harry gets nearer. And then the three of them, with some trouble, lift him up and back onto his feet, He wastes no time in clinging onto Harry.

“Get me off here.” He says and Harry, who is still trying not to laugh, obeys and takes him back to solid, unslippy ground. He even goes and gets his shoes for him after Niall made him feel guilty.

As they’re walking back through Central Park the light starts to fade and New York is slowly becoming a twinkly magical place.

“Can you hear that?” Harry says and stops dead.

Niall listens, he’s not sure what Harry’s talking about.

“Carol singers…I wonder where they are.” And he starts walking again, dragging Niall along and yes, Niall can hear them now, faint soft voices singing Silent Night. It takes a little while for the voices to get louder and it isn’t until theyr’e out of the park that they see a group of about 30 carolers on the corner opposite the Plaza. They’re dressed up in heavy red coats and big fluffy hats and their faces are pink from the cold. Their voices are lovely and Niall and Harry get closer to them, weaving into the crowd.

They stand and listen for a little while, We Wish You a Merry Christmas turning into Joy to the World, Niall leaning against Harry’s chest while Harry playfully bites at Niall’s ear. Harry looks at his watch, again Niall thinks, he’d been doing it all day and whispers in his ear “Come on.” And tugs on Niall’s hand but as he does so, a bus pulling up makes the carollers move and Harry feels himself getting pushed a little. He loses Niall’s hand, Niall having darted into the road before he gets caught up in the middle of them. He looks back and realises Harry hasn’t managed to do the same. He’s stood right in the middle of them, eyes wide and looking at Niall, his eyes looking from side to side to see if there is a way out. Niall can’t help but laugh and Harry looking like that while they sing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. They have candles now, they’re being passed through the rows as they sing and someone hands Harry one and Niall can see them do a double take at him as they realise he isn’t one of them. Harry shrugs and awkwardly finds his way through them, no doubt uttering “excuse me, sorry, excuse me” as he goes.

Harry came over to Niall and grabbed his hand and Niall’s still laughing, and as he turns he sees a line of horse and carriages.

“We have to do this, Harry. A horse-drawn carriage is one of the most romantic ways to see the have a horse and carriage ride.” He says as he’s dragging Harry over to them. Harry looks at his watch _again_ before sighing and agreeing anyway.

“Niall our _moms_ did this together.” Harry huffs but he lets Niall drag him that way all the same.

“Hop in boys.” The man waiting, says, lifting up the blankets for them both to slide in onto the seat of the carriage.

Niall jumps in first and pulls Harry close to him, tucking them into the heavy worn blankets. They learn the man at the reigns is called Keith and he lives in New Jersey. He tells them all about the park as they go round and asks them about their history, how the two boys ended up in New York City. Niall and Harry hold hands the entire way round, Harry leaning in to kiss Niall’s nose as they pass the top of the Mall.

When Keith lets them off at 5th Avenue, Harry goes to pat the horse and Niall walks up behind him.

“Where to next?” Niall asks, running his fingers up Harry’s arm, his head leaning on Harry’s shoulder. He’s tired but so happy and he doesn’t want the day to end.

“I know just the place.” Harry says, pressing a kiss into Niall’s beanie.

They walk down 5th Avenue slowly, their gloved fingers laced together, their shoulders knocking into the other. When they get to Rockefeller Harry tugs at Niall’s hand to pull him past the angels and down towards the rink.

“No.” Niall says when they reach the barrier, having walked around the rink so they’re near the tree. Niall feels completely exhausted and cold, he can’t actually feel his face, but so awake and _happy_.

Harry looks up and laughs, putting his arm around Niall’s shoulders and pulling him into his own body, Harry leaning on the railing and Niall leaning sideways on Harry. Niall knows there isn’t that much of a height difference between them, 4 inches if that, but Harry always feels so much bigger than him. He loves it, how Harry can make him feel safe and how he fits into Harry’s body when they’re stood up like this.

“I’m not going to make you skate again, Niall. I’m sure you’re still hurting from earlier…” he pats Niall’s bum for effect. “I was thinking we go up there.”

He points and Niall follows his gaze. He’s never been to the Top of the Rock before, even when family and friends had come to visit, he preferred taking them to the Empire State Building.

The Empire State is Niall’s favourite thing about New York. It stands majestically in the skyline, it always takes his eye wherever he’s looking from, even if it’s from across the river in New Jersey. He has spent hours on the viewing deck before, picking out places he’s been to with Harry since they’ve been there.

“I know you want to go to Empire, Niall but I promise you’re not going to be disappointed with this.” Harry says as if he’s reading Niall’s mind, pulling him closer to his body and kissing his cheek. Niall smiles, feels warm suddenly, and a little silly that Harry can still make him feel this way after all this time. Niall catches Harry’s lips with his own, pressing firm as he turns his body to face Harry entirely, slipping his hands round Harry’s waist over his coat. Niall opens his mouth, sliding his lips along Harry’s as he slips his tongue into Harry’s mouth, licking at his teeth and the roof of his mouth before Harry catches up with him and starts a familiar battle with his tongue. They kiss like that for ages, too comfortable and happy to move or be bothered about how many people can see them.

Harry’s the first person to pull away. “Hey.” He says and Niall pecks a kiss to his nose. “Hey, I love you.”

The words warm Niall down to the tips of his toes, makes him squeeze Harry’s waist a little harder, and want to hold him like that forever.

“I love you too.”

The kiss for a few more minutes, the warmth of their mouths a total contrast to the outside air that bites along their cheeks.

Harry pulls away again but this time lets Niall go, sliding his hand into Niall’s and pulling him towards the booth to get tickets for Top of the Rock. As they wait for their turn to go up in the elevator, Niall leans into Harry, letting Harry cuddle him in close until they have to move up the line. The longer they are inside they warmer they get, they peel their gloves off and Harry unzips his jacket. Niall doesn’t wait any time at all before he takes the chance to slide his hand under Harry’s t-shirt. Harry’s skin is warm and familiar against Niall’s hand, something he’s used to feeling, but something that still makes his heart beat faster.

“Our turn.” Harry says and pulls Niall by the hand into the lift. They shuffle around to let others in and Harry turns Niall to face him, makes him look right into his eyes. There isn’t much space in the lift, it’s something that Niall wouldn’t be comfortable with normally, but with Harry’s arms around him he’s okay. Harry knows, always knows, how to make him feel better. He talks to Niall, about silly things, and holds him tighter as the lift climbs and Niall almost doesn’t realise they have reached the top.

They walk out and Harry’s hands immediately cover Niall’s eyes. “Um, Haz?”

“Shush babe, I don’t want you to see the view until we get outside.” He spins Niall round. “Keep your eyes closed.” Harry does the zip up on Niall’s coat and pulls his beanie down. “Gonna be cold out there.” He says and kisses Niall’s nose and then pecks his lips. Niall moves forward for more but Harry laughs and stops him, Niall hears Harry do his coat up and then feels his hands in his own again.

“Gloves Haz?” Niall asks, their hands are definitely going to be cold, but Harry just puts his hands back over Niall’s eyes and leads him outside. Niall can feel Harry’s breath on his neck as he laughs when Harry clumsily leads Niall into a doorframe. Niall feels it the second they get outside, the cold feeling like needles in his cheeks.

Harry walks close behind Niall, his knees bumping into the back of Niall’s legs.

“There’s an escalator.” Harry says a second too late as Niall trips, Harry’s arms pulling him back up. “Oops” he huffs into Niall’s ear.

“Ooops, bloody hell Haz!” Harry giggles into Niall’s ear and walks him forward off the escalator again. He turns Niall round and the next thing he knows his knees hit railings.

“Keep your eyes closed.” Harry whispers in his ear and moves his hands to round Niall’s waist. “Okay. Open them.”

Niall’s breath is taken away the second he opens his eyes, the Empire State Building standing right in front of him, lit up red and green for Christmas. He’s never seen it from up here before; it’s so close and just _there_ and Niall’s wondering why he hasn’t been up here before. But it isn’t just that that is making him barely able to breath. It’s Harry, so strong and solid against him and how he must have given it some thought about where they should go today, planning it to they were looking at the Empire State in the dark so Niall can see it all lit up.

He leans his head back into Harry and slides his hands over the arms wrapped round his waist.

“This is amazing.” Niall breathes.

“You’re amazing.” Harry replies and Niall laughs.

“So corny, Haz.”

“I mean it. You are amazing. You make me so happy Niall. You always have, ever since we first met, you made me happy. I don’t think you knew it, not really, I don’t think you knew how much I thought about you when we weren’t together, when we were both finishing school.”

And Niall thinks he does know, he’s lost count of the times he would listen to songs that reminded him of Harry or fall asleep with their phones lines open or go to tell him something but then realise he’s not there.

“You make me happy to, happier than I ever thought I could be.”

“Shush babe…” Harry says and then his hands slide from Niall’s waist, Niall feeling the cold where Harry had been pressed up against him. He turns round to see where Harry is and then he can’t _breathe_. Because Harry, his _Harry_ , is on one knee, smiling up at Niall, and he’s holding a box and Niall can’t focus. He thinks people are taking photos, thinks people are cheering, but all he can see is Harry.

All he can ever see is Harry.

“Niall…” Harry starts and that is all it takes for the tears to start falling down Niall’s cheeks, dribbling down his neck and into his scarf. “Niall, I’m so in love with you. You changed my life, you made it better, you make it better every day. We have so many plans, so many things we want to do, so many dreams. I want to do all of those things with you, as your husband. Niall James Horan, will you marry me?”

Niall nods frantically as he pulls Harry up off his knee throws his arms around him and he presses kiss after kiss onto Harry’s lips, repeating ‘yes yes yes’ between each kiss. “I love you I love you” Niall says into Harry’s lips. He’s not sure he can feel his legs, he’s not even sure if he’s touching the ground.

Niall’s certain that if happiness could be captured or defined by one single moment, this would be it. This is Niall’s happiness; this brown haired, green eyed boy clumsy, thoughtful, amazing boy.

Harry slips the ring onto Niall’s finger and Niall gets a good look at it, a plain silver band that means one day, one day soon, Niall is going to get to call this boy his _husband._ He supposes he’ll have to make do with _fiancé_ until then. Fiance. Oh my god.

Niall pulls Harry into a kiss, their first proper kiss as fiances. They’re both smiling, laughing even, but it’s magical all the same. Niall pulls away and hugs Harry in close, reaching on his tip toes so he can really grip Harry tight around his neck, Harry’s hands finding their way round Niall’s waist.

Niall moves to kiss him again, just because he can. He looks down at his hand.

“Hey. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They stay completely wrapped up the moment, Niall doesn’t even know he stands there like that, holding his future husband tight while they giggle and smile against each other’s mouths.

“Excuse me?” Another voice and oh yeah, there are people here.

Niall turns to see who tapped him. “I’m Elsie.” The girl says, she can’t be older than 16. “I gotta go, and I hope you don’t mind because this is weird. But I was filming, and I think I got most of it. If you want it, I mean.”

“Are you serious? Oh my god, thank you!!” Harry beats Niall to it. “Babe can you believe someone got it on film?” And no, Niall can’t. He gets to watch it again. They can show other people. They can shows their _children_. Harry scribbles his email address on the back of a New York map with a pen given to him by someone, and hands it to Elsie.

“Thank you so much.” Niall shouts after her.

When they leave the Top of the Rock, Niall isn’t sure how this day could be topped, isn’t sure any day in the rest of his life could be better than this one.

“Who do we tell first?” Niall asks, hugging in close to Harry in the lift.

“Well I guess your mom and dad will be wondering how it went, so I would start with them….” He trails off, smirking at Niall’s surprised expression. Niall hoped Harry had gone with tradition and asked his parents’ permission, but hearing that he had actually done it made the whole thing even more perfect.

“When did you…I mean how?.... How long have you been planning this?”

“You remember when Zayn came to stay?”

“October half term, yeah…. Since then??”

“Well no, before then. I bought the ring when Zayn was here.”

The fact he had planning it this whole time makes Niall feel a little lighter. He thumbs the white gold band on his finger again. “A long time.”

“Since we were 16..” he smiles and kisses Niall’s nose. “I asked your Mom’s permission when she came in the summer.”

“The summer?” Niall repeats.

“Yeah I knew I wanted to do it on Christmas Eve and I knew I wouldn’t see her before then, I had to do it face to face. I wanted her to know how serious I was.”

Niall will ask later how that conversation went, ask if his mom had cried and if she had hugged Harry and asked him to take care of her boy. He knows full well she would have done all of those things. “And my Dad? When he was here for Thanksgiving?”

Harry nods and smiles, he and Bobby has always got on. Bobby thought of him as his own son already and Niall knows he wouldn’t have hesitated giving Harry his permission.

“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe you.” Niall feels overwhelmed, exhausted but happy and excited and awake all at the same time. “Let’s go home.”

Their apartment is cold when they get in, Harry flicks the lights on and goes straight for the fire, standing in front of it as it warms up and beckons for Niall to do the same thing.

Niall walks over to him, kisses him, one, twice, four, seven times as their bodies are thawed out by the heat.

“Wait here.” Harry says and tugs his coat off as he goes into the kitchen. Niall takes his off too.

Harry comes back into the room with a bottle of champagne and two glasses, he hands Niall the bottle and Niall takes it to uncork it. The cork pops and the boys follow it to see where it lands, the champagne spills over Niall’s hand as he tries to aim it for the glass. They clink their glasses and take a sip, their eyes on each other as they do so, their faces warm and cheeks rosy.

They don’t finish the bottle, too sleepy and content to want to drink any more. They tumble into bed “Hey.” Niall says back. “I’m gonna marry you.”

Harry’s face breaks into a dimply smile and Niall presses his lips gently to Harry’s, to his _fiance’s._ “Yeah, you’re going to be my husband.”

And all of a sudden Niall is 16 again, feeling like he felt when Harry first looked at him and he’s sure that Harry will make him feel like that forever.

“Merry Christmas baby.” Harry whispers against Niall’s lips, running his fingers over the ring on Niall’s finger.

“Merry Christmas.” Niall snuggles into his fiancé, not wanting to let him go or this day to end but giving in to sleep all the same.

 


End file.
